4:30 PM, 20th of December, 1728.
The sun had already set, and the moon was nowhere in sight, leaving the city almost pitch black. The winter solstice would take place the following day, the ceremonial date on which everyone at the age of seventeen would be Blessed, signifying their transition into adulthood, and also giving them better control over their Authority. The streets were rather packed, parents seeing off their children, and those children walking to the dormitory. Some went in carriages, while others simply walked in groups. Alexander met up with Aisha at her home and began walking to the dorms with her, which was quite a far walk.
Looking up at the dark, star-filled sky, he spoke. "I still can't get around how early it gets dark this time of year."
"Mm"
Alexander glanced at her, confused about the curt response. "You alright?"
"I'm worried we acted too quickly. Cain knows what we're looking into now, and he obviously doesn't like it."
"You're right. I was rash. I don't think we've gone too far, though; we can be more careful in the future."
Walking up behind them, someone interrupted. "Hey, you two."
Turning around, Alexander saw Jensen, towering over him with his unreasonable height.
"Hey, what are you doing here?"
"I'm heading to the city hall, so we're going the same way. Mind if I walk with you?" The dormitory was just past the city hall, only about a minute away, as the ceremony would take place in the courtyard of the city hall.
"No, not at all."
They continued walking as a gust of wind blew through the street, leading Alexander to button up his overcoat and stick his hands in his pockets. Sat in his pocket was the nutrient bar from days ago. Now definitely inedible, Alexander decided to throw it away when he arrived at the dormitory.
-
The city hall was now in view, leaving only a minute until they arrived. In the cold air, the sky suddenly lit ablaze, flames dancing along the sky. Alexander snapped his head up, his eyes wide and full of terror. His Authority activated, stronger than it had ever been before. His knees gave out from the sudden shock, and he caught himself on his hands before puking up the breakfast he had eaten that morning. Aisha ran up to him, crouching down beside him, putting her hand on his back.
"Are you alright? What's wrong?"
Despair filled his mind.
He could hear his heart pounding in his ears.
He looked over her before muttering out a sentence. "Something bad's about to happen."
A scream rang out behind him, and Alexander looked on as a man was trampled by a carriage passing by. His eyes darted up at the sky as meteors rained down, burning up in the atmosphere, leaving what could only be described as beautiful fiery trails behind them. An unbelievably loud noise filled the air as they tore through the sky, hundreds raining down. More screams filled the area around him as everyone panicked, running in all directions.
Where were they even going to run to?
Looking back at Aisha, Alexander felt his heart stop for a moment, his eyes widening. Standing behind her was Jensen, his arm raised. In his hand was a gun. Something Alexander had never seen someone holding, but he was well aware of its use.
"What are you-"
Jensen pulled the trigger. The bullet struck her head.
Aisha's body went limp as she crumpled onto the floor beside Alexander.
Blood splattered on his face.
He stared on at her face, oddly emotionless, her eyes open, looking back at him.
He waited for her eyes to move, for her chest to rise, but it never happened.
She was dead.
Alexander shifted his gaze back to Jensen, whose gun was still raised.
This time, though, it was pointed directly at him.
There were no thoughts in Alexander's head. With his chest tight, he stared at Jensen, looking down the barrel of the gun.
Jensen pulled the trigger again.
But nothing happened.
Had the gun jammed? Was it out of bullets?
At that moment, Alexander had a moment of clarity, a moment in which he could think again, before it was clouded again by new emotions. Rage filled his mind, and hatred filled his heart. Jensen stood there, gun still raised, not making a move. Alexander wouldn't get another chance.
He leapt from his crouched position towards Jensen's waist, bringing him down to the ground. As they landed, the gun was knocked out of his hand, skidding across the concrete a few feet away from them.
Alexander crawled up and on top of Jensen, bringing his fists down onto his face. He punched over and over again, Jensen offering up no resistance. The street was now empty, save for a few bodies on the ground, everyone long gone. If he had just been a moment faster, he could have saved her. If he had spoken up a moment earlier, she would still be alive. If he had been more worried about his prophetic dream, she would still be alive. Alexander's fists were bloodied, still raining down onto Jensen's face. His eyes were teary, blurring his vision, and his mind was cloudy, now seeing double, and yet his fists still struck down.
His mind was disoriented, confused.
The double vision was overwhelming as he watched himself punch down over and over again. After a few more moments, a few more punches, he lost his balance, letting out a scream as he fell down to the side of Jensen's still body. He tried to stand up, but couldn't manage.
He felt as if every action he made was delayed, and everything he saw was doubled. He tried to stand again, managing it this time. He saw himself take a step forward before his body actually moved. He saw himself falling back to the ground, and a moment later, he actually fell. He wiped his eyes dry, trying to focus, but it didn't help. He looked over at Jensen's motionless body, his face now unrecognizable. Was he dead? He didn't really care if he was or not.
He tried walking again, this time managing to take slow steps forward. He looked around at the street, where a few more bodies lay, all of which were people he didn't know, people he didn't care about. Roaring could still be heard throughout the sky, as the meteors flew through it, glowing a deep, almost disturbing red. He watched as one of them struck the dome, feeling it shake and watching it shatter. And then the meteor actually struck.
It tore through like an arrow through a wet piece of paper.
He looked off in the distance at the nearest home. It was lit ablaze, a fire rampaging through the house and smoke billowing out of it. He had to get home. He had to make sure his family was all right; he had to make sure they were safe.
He walked forward, feeling as if he had never walked before. Each step was slow and methodical. Each step he took, he watched himself take before it actually happened.
He wasn't sure how long had passed before he finally arrived at his home. Some houses on the way were destroyed, and some people lay dead in the streets. He watched as a man jumped from his own roof for seemingly no reason, taking his own life. He reached the door, which was already swung wide open. He walked inside to find no one home. Everything lay in its correct spot, but his parents were nowhere to be seen. He went upstairs and grabbed his pocket watch, checking the time and then stuffing it in his pocket.
Back outside, he looked around, feeling lost. What was he meant to do now? Where was everyone? What had happened in the first place? It obviously wasn't safe, and so he decided there was only one place to go.
Outside.
Outside of the dome.
He looked up at where the meteor tore through the dome, though the height was far too high up for him to exit through. The only real exit from the dome was at the city gates, a place that had never been opened throughout the history of the city, only used as an entrance decades ago. He walked for nearly an hour before arriving at the gates, though it both felt like an hour and only a moment had passed. The sky was no longer lit up, now as black as it had been before. He looked up at the gates, which were always closed, but were now wide open. A man lay dead in front of the gates, a gunshot wound in his now unrecognizable face.
Alexander continued walking, leaving the city that housed him his entire life. The air was crisp and cold, making his lungs feel refreshed. He looked out towards the wall and saw something unbelievable. On the water, far out in the distance, were hundreds of people. Not in a boat, not on a raft, but on the water, walking across as if it were a solid. He watched as the stone wall that surrounded the shore of the lake parted, splitting before the group, as if kindly asked to move out of the way, and he watched as the people disappeared from view, past that same wall.
A sudden guttural screech sounded out behind him, and he heard it again a moment later. It shook the earth, and his Authority began screaming at him. Alexander realized why he was so disoriented once he heard the screech for the second time.
He was literally seeing double.
But he wasn't only seeing double, he was feeling double, he was hearing double.
He was experiencing each moment just before it actually happened.